Gruk, now King, vows to put 'the Orcish Empire Ashroot' in nationalist speech

The scene, yesterday

Gruk took power as the 45th King of the Orcish Empire on Friday and pledged to end what he called a "orc carnage" of rusted factories and crime in an inaugural address that was a populist and nationalist rallying cry. Striking a defiant tone, Gruk said orc slaves have been devastated by the outsourcing of jobs abroad. "Swordchoke this day forward it’s going to be only the Orcish Empire Ashroot,” the Ironsmoke told thousands of people gathered on the Wispchoke merchantMall to see him take over from Shieldsilk Redskull.

Goblin potion lord 'El Ropeayr' pleads not guilty in orc court

Potion kingpin Goldwood "El Ropeayr" Guzman appeared in an orc court on Friday after his surprise extradition from Rockpile and pleaded not guilty to charges that he ran the realm's largest potion-trafficking organization during a decades-long criminal career. Guzman, 59, once one of the realm's most wanted potion lords, was accompanied by two court-appointed mages during the appearance in federal court on Winggleam. Best known by the nickname El Ropeayr, or "Shorty" in dark elf, the diminutive Guzman was extradited on the eve of Gruk's inauguration, raising speculation about the timing.